Conservation Partners connecting working lands conservation from the Gulf of Mexico to the High Plains with the vision of a sustainable landscape of natural resources resilient to the threats and stressors associated with our changing world.

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is pleased to announce the establishment of a new public-private partnership - the Gulf StarProgram. Gulf Star is designed to increase the region's resilience by addressing foundational issues that are important to government, academia, not-for-profits and business. Those include healthy seafood supplies, improved habitat conservation, higher quality water resources, increased natural resource stewardship, and improved strategies for land use planning. To support this program and its priorities, Gulf Star is actively working to secure approximately $5 million over the next five years.

The Gulf Star founding private members are Shell, The Gulf of Mexico Foundation, and The Nature Conservancy. These three Gulf Star members are setting a course for strong regional collaboration to address issues in a way a single entity cannot. Gulf Star is also supported by Gulf of Mexico Alliance partners including the five U.S. Gulf State Governors, federal agencies, other businesses and private foundations: leveraging support on a scale of ten to one. In 2006, these governors signed the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Governors' Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts. The Gulf Star program aims to address regional priorities in a consensus-driven, collaborative way by leveraging the resources and expertise of resource managers, scientists, and other regional experts. A Request for Proposals (RFP) for grants through the Gulf Star Program will be announced in early 2016. The RFP will focus on achieving a healthy and resilient region. Gulf Star will use the Gulf of Mexico Alliance's third Governors' Action Plan which is expected to be completed late Fall 2015.

More information about the Gulf Star Program, Action Plan III and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Priority Issues can be found at www.GulfofMexicoAlliance.org.